Peterborough MP Stewart Jackson has
written to Angela Bailey, Chief Executive of the Peterborough
Primary Care Trust, seeking reassurance that the proposed
Peterborough "Polyclinic"- supported by
the Trust and due to open in March next year - will not threaten
neighbourhood family doctor services across Peterborough.

The proposals follow on from a recent report (published in November
2007) by Health minister Lord Darzi, personally appointed by the
Prime Minister to oversee the introduction of polyclinics as part of
a major reorganisation of the NHS in England.

Each Primary Care Trust is being
forced to establish a polyclinic in their area, regardless of
individual circumstances locally.

Research, using the National Health
Services' own figures, shows that the plans could mean that more
than 1,700 GP practices across England and Wales could be closed.
There are concerns that polyclinics will break the vital
doctor-patient relationship and result in patients - especially
those with chronic conditions such as asthma and diabetes - having
to travel further to see their doctor.

"Patients trust their local doctors,
having built up long term relationships with them and will resent
this unnecessary change. We need more new GP surgeries in deprived
areas not impersonal and untried so-called 'super
surgeries'.

”I have written to the Primary Care
Trust asking what this means for the future of our local GP
surgeries - already under pressure due to population changes and
immigration pressures, how many will close and what funds are being
diverted to the proposed polyclinic.

”Patients in Peterborough are
entitled to know all the facts.”

Stewart
Jackson was elected in May 2005 to represent the
Peterborough constituency in the House of Commons.
To find out more about him, his views and activities, visit his
website at
www.stewartjackson.org.uk